Ask Dave

Hands: My New Album w/ Pepe Habichuela

I’m pleased to officially announce “Hands”, a collaboration between myself and the great flamenco guitar master Pepe Habichuela. Also featured on the album are Josemi Carmona and Carlos Carmona on guitars and Israel Porrina (Pirana) and Juan Carmona on Percussion and Cajon.

Meeting Pepe and playing this music with him has been been a very special experience for me. We first played together in 2007 and since then I’ve made an annual trip to Spain to perform with him and the group. During my visit in the spring of 2009 we recorded “Hands” in a studio in Madrid. Eight of the ten compositions featured on the album are written or cowritten by Pepe and are in the true flamenco tradition. This was a new musical language for me to learn and at the rehearsals I asked Pepe to teach me about his music and he graciously and patiently introduced me to his musical world.

I wanted to really get inside the music. Pepe is true, deep Flamenco and I felt that I would only dilute that music if I treated it in a casual way. I wanted to bring my own voice to the music but do it with a deeper understanding of the unique musical language of Flamenco.
The other two compositions are mine and they feature Josemi Carmona. He also played an important role in the organization of his father’s music for this recording. He is an accomplished musician in his own right and was one of the original members of the popular Spanish group “Katama”.

This project matured over several years and was nurtured by the care, love and passion given to it by the musicians and their families and friends. It was a great feeling to finally hold the finished CD in my hands and know that we had documented that music and could now share it with more people.

Below is a video interview with the Artistic Director of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival about my work with Pepe.

7 Comments

Hej,
I am loving your new collaboration with flamenco. I listen to your solos in the flamenco style and I tend to forget that I am indeed listening to the bass and not to another instrument like the guitar itself. Great sound. Great new sound.
Many congatulations.
Alf.

I heard “Subi La Cuesta (Tangos)” on KXJZ on my way home from work last night. I am not normally a big jazz listener but I could not believe the sounds that were coming out of the radio. I knew it was Flamenco but, of course, the DJ never revealed what it was. (When I got home I went online to look up their playlist). This is amazing, beautiful music. Period.

Hands is a terrific album. The combination of Dave Holland’s and Pepe Habichuela’s unique styles works in such a wonderful way together. This is one of my favorite CD’s of 2010. I also searched out for more of Pepe’s work because it is difficult to find in the US and as a result I ordered three more of his CD’s.

Submit your email address to subscribe to Dave's email list and get a free download of the track "Joyride" from his new album Hands with Pepe Habichuela. You may cancel your subscription at any time. Check back often as new downloads will be made available over time! (Downloads will take a couple minutes to arrive in your inbox.)